Analy High School - Azalea Yearbook (Sebastopol, CA)

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MISS GREGORY

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The Heart of Macgregor By MARY FELLERS First Prize “That crater’ll kill some’un, some day,” remarked Fergus Duncan to his wife that early summer morning as they sat at the breakfast table. “Oo, he will that,” answered Mary Duncan with a sad shake of her head. “Truly he should be killed himself, Fergus. Why Macgregor himself even daurna’ gang near him. But for the memory of the little laddie-, ah, puir little lad, an’ it is him he is greeting for.” “Aye, aye,” and Fergus’ eyes softened as they glanced again toward the angry mastiff. “An’ it is a changed dog he is sin’ th’ little lad died.” “Ah, an’ a changed mon Macgregor is,” answered Mary Duncan. Across the low hedge in the neighboring yard, the great mas¬ tiff chafed at his collar and tore at his chain. Some one was at the side door. It was the fresh air summer home solicitor, and her high, clear voice carried with aggravating distinctness to the sav¬ age occupant of the big,green kennel. His teeth gleamed fero¬ ciously from their black setting, and the masses of flesh drooping from his jaws quivered with uncontrolled rage. “Shut up, you brute,” growled Macgregor from the kitchen door. He, too, was annoyed by the voice of the little ‘fresh air summer home’ solicitor. It was a child she had with her,—a little white-faced boy, with a great shock of fair curly hair, and a twist¬ ed foot. He had never before been in the country, she said, and oh, his tale was so pitiful. He had dreamed and looked forward to these two weeks in the country for so long, and now that he had really come, they found that there had been a mistake, and there was no place for him. The door between the dining room and the kitchen was open and Macgregor heard each word as though spoken to him. “They tell me you have a big house and no children.” His face darkened and, swinging on his heel, he strode across the kitchen and into the big, spotless dining room. Annie Mac- 11